From farmland to suburbia

Roland Meyer has witnessed the transformation of Granger.

Roland Meyer has witnessed the transformation of Granger.

December 05, 2006|KIM KILBRIDE Tribune Staff Writer

Watching car after car make its daily trek up and down Gumwood Road has become a pastime of Roland Meyer. He remembers the day when he could count on one hand the number that would pass the farmhouse he lived in on Brick Road in an entire day. Meyer currently shares quarters with his son and daughter-in-law, Don and Ardis Meyer. Perched in his easy chair, he watches the traffic from his living room window. Meyer, who's 100, has lived in Granger for the past 70 years. His ancestors were some of the first settlers here. They purchased 400 acres in Harris and Clay townships from the government in 1837. Meyer recalled the days when he farmed property on the southeast corner of Brick and Grape roads. In addition to raising chickens there, he grew produce, specifically, seven acres of potatoes, 10 acres of corn and five acres each of hay and tomatoes. He said he's not sure how he feels about the development of the area into a regional shopping destination and bedroom community. But, his memories of a different time are vivid. He remembers when the post office was located in the building that now houses Yesterday's. He also remembers the two-room school in Granger when there were about a dozen high school students who went there. And, he remembers when Granger was known as a "railroad town." A train ran through going from Elkhart to Niles. If residents needed clothing or household items, he said, they boarded about 2 p.m., went to South Bend to shop and returned home at 8:15 p.m. Born in South Bend, Meyer first moved to Clay Township as a child. After marrying, he lived in South Bend again, but later returned to the family home in Granger with his wife and three children to live with and care for his grandmother and his parents. Over the years, he worked at Studebaker, among other area factories, in addition to farming. When he was 65, he retired from Bendix after having been with the company for three decades. As a young man, he married Gladys Gill, who has since died. Together, they had three children who are today all living in various parts of the country. These days, he spends his time reading the newspaper, watching the news and working on word puzzles. He prioritizes his daily Bible study. He's been a member of the South Bend Seventh-day Adventist Church for 80 years. When it comes to secrets to living to be 100, Meyer admittedly has none. His health has been quite good. He's always been active with farming and manual labor as a young man and lots of walking as he grew older. "I still exercise," he said. "When I go to the bathroom, I walk a circle around the house each time." And, being a Seventh-day Adventist, he's eaten primarily a vegetarian diet most of his life. He also has never drunk or smoked cigarettes. He does have one tip, though. . . "I always try to throw my shoulders back," he said, demonstrating as he sat in his favorite chair looking out his living room window over a Granger that's far different from the one he raised a family and retired in.Staff writer Kim Kilbride: kkilbride@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6554